To function properly, archery bows must be adjusted in a variety of ways. Archers each have unique characteristics (e.g., draw length, ability to pull a certain draw weight, etc.) which will change the way a bow launches an arrow. In addition, there are numerous variables relating to archery equipment (e.g., arrow size and weight, draw length, draw weight, and type of release used) that affect arrow flight. As a result, many different tuning adjustments to an archery bow are typically required to ensure proper arrow flight.
With respect to compound bows, various tuning adjustments may be made to improve arrow flight. For example, changing the nocking point, adjusting the location and tension of the arrow rest, increasing or decreasing the draw weight, and increasing or decreasing the arrow spine will all affect arrow flight. To change the hocking point of the arrow on the bowstring, the most common way to achieve such an adjustment is to physically change the location of the hock point that is secured to the bowstring.
It is also possible to adjust the hocking point by adjusting the tiller of one or both bow limbs. The tiller of a bow limb is the perpendicular distance between the bowstring and the limb. This distance is measured from the bowstring at a perpendicular point where the bow limb attaches to the handle riser to the string. Therefore, the tiller of each limb can be separately measured and adjusted. On a compound bow, this is typically accomplished by adjusting the limb bolts.
A few recent efforts have recently been made to provide devices for adjusting the tiller of a recurve bow. Traditionally, there was no way to adjust the tiller of a traditional recurve bow because the limbs and handle riser were made of a single, integral piece of material.
Only a few adjustments can be made to a recurve bow for tuning purposes. After the center shot of the arrow has been set, the only adjustment to be made is the location of the nocking point. There are no pulleys or cams to adjust for and the draw weight is typically unchangeable. The nocking point can be changed either by physically changing the location of the nock point on the bowstring, or alternatively by changing the tiller of one or both limbs.
For high performance archers, fine tuning of the nocking point is required. Physically changing the location of the nock point on the bow string in small increments is very difficult, since it requires uncrimping and recrimping of the nock point. Precision in such a process is not achievable. Therefore, precision adjustments to the nocking location of a recurve bow requires a tiller adjustment.
A particular advantage of some recurve bows is that they can be broken down for storage and traveling purposes. A major drawback, however, with respect to recurve bows with tiller adjustment capabilities is that in order to break down the recurve bow, the tiller adjustments must be undone. Thus, the tiller adjustments would have to be recreated each time the bow is reassembled for shooting. Because several hours of shooting are required to fine tune the tiller adjustments for recurve bows, the same precision adjustments cannot be made in time when an archer is traveling to a tournament or to a hunting area.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a device that enables accurate and precision tiller adjustments for tuning a bow. In addition, there is a need to provide a device that secures and maintains precision tiller adjustments for recurve bows for take-down recurve bows so that the adjustments do not have to be replicated when travelling.
The present invention involves a tiller adjustment system for archery bows, particularly recurve archery bows. The tiller adjustment system allows incremental, precise tiller adjustments to be made to each bow limb. In addition, the tiller adjustment system includes a locking mechanism that allows a recurve bow to be taken down and reassembled while maintaining precisely the tiller adjustments previously made to the recurve bow. Other features, advantages, and objects of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed disclosure that follows.